Salvia plant named ‘Sky Blue Marvel’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Salvia  plant named ‘Sky Blue Marvel’, characterized by its light violet-blue colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Salvia nemorosa.

Variety denomination: ‘Sky Blue Marvel’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salviaplant botanically known as Salvia nemorosa and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘Sky Blue Marvel’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Hem, TheNetherlands during August 2010. The objective of the breeding programwas the development of Salvia cultivars having large flowers and compactgrowth habits.

The new Salvia cultivar was the result of open-pollination within aninsect-cage environment of three proprietary Salvia nemorosa breedingselections coded JO81-1, JO81-2, and JO81-3, not patented, characterizedby light violet-blue colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, andmoderately vigorous, semi-upright growth habit. The new cultivar wasdiscovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the above stated open-pollination during July 2012 in a controlledenvironment in Hem, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceJuly 2012 in Hem, The Netherlands and Elburn, Ill. has demonstrated thatthe new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of thecharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Sky Blue Marvel’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Salvia plant:

-   -   1. Light violet-blue colored flowers;    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the parents primarilyin having a lighter shade flower color, and longer inflorescences.

Of the many commercially available Salvia cultivars, the most similar incomparison to the new cultivar is ‘Blue Marvel’, U.S. Plant Pat. No.27,018. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivardiffer from plants of ‘Blue Marvel’ in at least the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color that is        lighter than plants of ‘Blue Marvel’;    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have larger sized corollas than        plants of ‘Blue Marvel’; and    -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have larger sized leaves than        plants of ‘Blue Marvel’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Sky Blue Marvel’.The plants were approximately four months old. The plants were grown inone-gallon containers for approximately 12 weeks in a greenhouse inElburn, Ill. Plants were given two pinches, one at one week beforetransplant and one two weeks after transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Sky Blue Marvel’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of‘Sky Blue Marvel’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in July 2018 under naturallight conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximatelyfour-month old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grownunder conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. Theplants were grown in one-gallon containers for approximately 12 weeks ina greenhouse in Elburn, Ill. Plants were given two pinches, one at oneweek before transplant and one two weeks after transplant. Greenhousetemperatures were maintained at approximately 65° F. to 70° F. (18.3° C.to 21.1° C.) during the day and approximately 55° F. to 60° F. (12.8° C.to 15.6° C.) during the night. No supplemental lighting was provided.Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia nemorosa ‘Sky Blue Marvel’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female and male parents.—Three proprietary Salvia nemorosa            breeding selections coded JO81-1, JO81-2, and JO81-3, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 12 to 15 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 35 to 42            days.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 10 to 12 weeks from a            rooted cutting to finish in a 15 cm pot.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Herbaceous perennial,            moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4a (−30° F. to −25° F./−34.4° C. to            −31.7° C.).        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 38.0 cm. Width: Approximately 36.0 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Pinching enhances lateral            branching. Quantity of branches per plant: Approximately 7.        -   Branch.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong.            Length to base of inflorescence: Approximately 18.0 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm. Length of central internode:            Approximately 4.5 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color of            young stems: 146D. Color of mature stems: 146B tinted with            187A in sun.        -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:            Approximately 6. Fragrance: Strong, sage-like. Form: Simple.            Arrangement: Opposite.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute to perpendicular angle to stem. Shape:            Lanceolate. Margin: Crenate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:            Approximately 12.0 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately            4.5 cm. Texture of upper surface: Rugose, sparsely pubescent            with very short hairs. Texture of lower surface: Rugose,            densely pubescent with very short hairs. Color of upper            surface of young and mature foliage: Closest to 137A with            venation of 145D. Color of lower surface of mature foliage:            Closest to 137C with venation of 147D.        -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 3.0 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color:            Closest to 147D.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Sky Blue Marvel’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from early spring through late summer and with            limited flowering under short winter days in a greenhouse            environment.        -   Lastingness of individual floret.—Approximately 4 to 5 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Spikes in verticillaster            arrangement, florets in clusters of two to three, not            persistent. Quantity of inflorescences per plant:            Approximately 4. Fragrance: Faint, sweet. Length or height            of inflorescence: Approximately 5.0 cm to 14.0 cm. Width of            inflorescence: Approximately 3.5 cm to 4.5 cm. Quantity of            fully-open flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 20 with            up to 40 at peak flowering.        -   Peduncle.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong.            Aspect: Erect. Length: Approximately 2.5 cm to 3.0 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm to 4.0 mm. Texture: Densely            pubescent. Color: 146B tinted with 187A in sun.-   Flower description:    -   -   Type.—Single, zygomorphic.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovoid. Length:            Approximately 7.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.            Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Calyx of 146C to 146D            with a faint overlay of 187A on tips and margins; petal            portion of N89A.        -   Corolla.—Shape: Bilabiate, lower lip having three lobes,            base fused. Width: Approximately 9.0 mm. Length:            Approximately 1.5 cm. Depth: Approximately 1.9 cm.        -   Upper lip.—Shape: Hooded. Margin: Entire. Apex: Rounded.            Length from throat: Approximately 1.0 cm. Width:            Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous.            Texture of outer surface: Sparsely pubescent. Color of inner            surface when first and fully open: 92B. Color of outer            surface when first and fully open: 91A to 91B.        -   Lower lip.—Shape of central lobe: Orbicular, cupped. Shape            of lateral lobes: Oblong. Margin: Entire, central lobe wavy.            Apex of central lobe: Emarginate. Apex of lateral lobes:            Rounded. Length from throat of central lobe: Approximately            7.0 mm. Width of central lobe: Approximately 9.0 mm. Length            from throat of lateral lobes: Approximately 5.0 mm. Width of            lateral lobes: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of upper            surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Sparsely            pubescent. Color of upper surface when first and fully open:            Lateral lobes of 93B to 93C, central lobe 91A. Color of            lower surface when first and fully open: Lateral lobes of            93C, central lobe 93C to 93D.        -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Diameter at            opening: Approximately 4.0 mm. Diameter at base:            Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of inner and outer surfaces:            Glabrous. Color of inner surface when first and fully open:            NN155D. Color of outer surface when first and fully open:            NN155D tinted with 93D at distal end.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Cupped. Length: Approximately 7.0 mm.            Diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5, fused. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Acute. Length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Width of lobes:            Approximately 2.0 mm to 4.0 mm. Texture of inner and outer            surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color of inner surface: 146D.            Color of outer surface: 146C to 146D.        -   Bracts.—Quantity: One bract located at the base of floret            cluster. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Texture of inner            (upper) surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer (lower) surface:            Densely pubescent. Color of inner and outer surfaces: 137B            with 146D.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: At an acute            angle. Length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter: Less than            1.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 146D tinted with            187A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 per            flower, dorsifixed, strongly curved. Stamen length:            Approximately 1.7 cm. Filament length: Approximately 1.5 cm.            Filament color: NN155D with a faint overlay of 90A at base.            Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: Approximately 2.0 mm.            Anther color: N92A with 103A. Pollen amount: Not observed.            Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower, slightly curved.            Pistil length: Approximately 1.8 cm. Stigma shape: Cleft,            two-parted. Stigma length: 2.0 mm. Stigma color: 90A. Style            length: Approximately 1.4 cm. Style color: NN155D. Ovary            length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary color: 144C with N25A.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Salvia has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named‘Sky Blue Marvel’, substantially as herein illustrated and described.